This invention relates to a connector which is mateable with a mating connector and comprises a lock portion which maintains a mated state with the mating connector.
This type of connector is disclosed in JP 5805288B (Patent Document 1), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, Patent Document 1 discloses a receptacle (connector) 90 which comprises a receptacle housing (housing) 910 and two power terminals 920. The connector 90 is formed with a receptacle-side receiving space (receiving portion) 912. Each of the power terminals 920 has a lock portion 922 exposed inside the receiving portion 912. The connector 90 is mateable with a plug (mating connector) 96 which comprises two locked portions (mating lock portions) 962. Under a mated state where the connector 90 and the mating connector 96 are mated with each other, the mating connector 96 is partially received in the receiving portion 912, and the mating lock portions 962 are located inside the receiving portion 912. Under the mated state, the lock portions 922 lock the mating lock portions 962, respectively, to maintain the mated state.
As can be seen from FIG. 25, in a case where a straight upward force along an upper-lower direction (Z-direction), or a force along the positive Z-direction, is applied to the mating connector 96 under the mated state, two mating lock portions 962 are brought into abutment with the lock portions 922, respectively, to be stopped, so that the lock of the mating lock portions 962 by the lock portions 922 is kept. In other words, the mated state is maintained. However, in another case where an obliquely upward force (F) is applied to an upper end of one of opposite sides (positive X-side in FIG. 25) of the mating connector 96 in a front-rear direction (X-direction) while a lower end of a remaining one of the opposite sides (negative X-side in FIG. 25) of the mating connector 96 in the X-direction is used as a fulcrum, one of the mating lock portions 962 might be moved upward without being stopped by the lock portion 922. In other words, the mated state might be released.